


If I Stumble

by rightonthelimit



Category: Glee
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-16
Updated: 2012-12-16
Packaged: 2017-11-21 06:36:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/594599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rightonthelimit/pseuds/rightonthelimit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt dances to distract himself from the reality of his father dying from cancer. Blaine is there to catch him, whenever he stumbles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If I Stumble

**A/N** : Source of this pic is [here](http://fancymen.tumblr.com/post/38040331447/fancymen-tumblr).  **Please do not repost, recreate or translate.**

 

  
**If I Stumble**  


‘One, two, three, one, two, three, one two, three…’

Kurt closed his eyes, his body feeling light and free as he lifted his arms and trusted his feet to take him somewhere safe. He’s been going over this one move over and over again, taking immaculate pride out of the fact that he had managed to impress Cassandra July of all people but still striving to improve on what's already been considered perfection by others.

Ever since the news of his dad hit him, Kurt’s performances had been nothing but emotional.

‘One, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three…’

Kurt was 20 years old now, he was at the end of his first year as a NYADA student. His father was at the end of his life.

Kurt tightly closed his eyes, twirled and tried to focus on how the wooden floorboards creaked underneath his feet. He had pushed all of their furniture aside, needing as much space as he needed. Both physically and mentally.

‘O-one, two, three… one, two, three… one, two, three…’

It’s been a rough year for him, but then again, when hasn’t it been? Kurt lifted his foot and stretched his leg, pulling it up up  _up_  until his muscles started aching from the strain he put on them. And then he abruptly let go and went over that one pirouette. He never managed to do it okay.

Kurt lifted his hands above his head and closed his eyes as the world,  _his_ world that this tiny overly expensive apartment has become, became a flurry of colors and emotions. The walls became white with brown spots where their paintings hung, the floorboards became a mere space fixed underneath Kurt’s feet. It wasn’t much to look at so Kurt didn’t, but the thought that his dad would never walk these floorboards and comment on that creaking door that they still needed to fix, made Kurt sob.

He stumbled and fell to his knees. He was dizzy, but he didn’t know if it was from dancing. His entire body was covered in sweat, too overheated, and he was panting for air.

‘Kurt?’

Kurt heard the front door slam and angrily rubbed at his cheeks, forcing himself up and ignoring the pounding of his heart, the tears welling up in his eyes and that stuffy feeling in his nose. He was fine. He just needed to perfect that one move…

‘Kurt what are you doing? What did you do to our -’

‘I’m practicing,’ Kurt said in a hollow voice. He lifted his arms above his head once more and set out to do it again, but he froze when he felt arms around his waist. He didn’t ask for them, so why were they there? ‘Let go of me -’

‘No, Kurt. It’s enough. Come on, you shouldn’t -’

‘Just let me have this!’ Kurt snapped, finally,  _finally_ breaking as he turned around and faced his fiancée. ‘Please,’ he added pitifully. ‘Please, just let me dance.’

It was all he had left, really. Soon, his father would die, and Kurt would be alone. He felt like he was going to be sick at the mere thought of it and this time, he didn’t protest when Blaine reached out and held him tightly when he started crying again. Kurt’s knees buckled – he was suddenly so tired, so drained, and he sunk to the floor like a rag doll while Blaine just followed his lead. He always had, or at least these past years he had. Funny how the tables had turned.

‘Kurt,’ Blaine murmured, petting Kurt’s hair and kissing his temple as he just held him. Kurt should probably worry about the sweat on his skin or the open windows because it was a December night and they couldn’t afford turning up the heater, but he couldn’t. He felt numb and agonized at the same time. It was like his mom’s death all over again. ‘You can’t go on like this, sweetheart. Have you even eaten something today?’

Blaine wasn’t around all the time. Kurt wished he was, but they were lucky to even see each other before heading to bed. NYADA was tough and when they weren’t going to auditions, they were at work. Blaine’s parents had offered Blaine money but it hadn’t been out of love, and Blaine hadn’t been able to take it.

‘No,’ Kurt admitted. He sniffled and gripped Blaine’s shoulders tightly, as if fearing he would go again. He didn’t even know why Blaine was there.

Everything was just so strange and different.

‘It’s not certain he’ll die, Kurt. They haven’t given him up yet and he's being so strong.’

It wasn’t a lie, not a complete one anyway. The doctors still gave Burt his treatments but everyone could tell he’s been doing worse. Kurt expected a phone call from Carole any day now, stating that Burt only had a couple of days (maybe even hours) left. Kurt and Blaine wouldn’t even have the money to instantly fly over to Ohio.

Kurt released a wavering breath, pressing his face into the collar of Blaine’s shirt as he fought to keep from crying again. Everything ached and he was unsure if he had pulled a couple of muscles, or if it was his heart that was the core of it all.

‘Please just…’ Kurt trailed off. He couldn’t find the words, and perhaps that was because all of his life, he always had experienced pain internally. He was not used to showing it externally, saving from few performances he had been willing to open up his aching heart for. Kurt felt old and worn by life itself. He didn’t know how to fix things anymore.

‘Okay,’ Blaine simply said because he always knew what Kurt needed. He got up, kicked his shoes and shrugged his jacket off, and then held his hand out to Kurt.

And then they danced.

And Kurt stumbled no more.


End file.
